Smoke evacuating tissue guard for tissue removal and other surgical procedures

Abstract

A smoke evacuating tissue guard includes a tubular body defining a longitudinally-extending passageway, a collar coupled to a proximal end portion of the tubular body, and an outlet coupled to the collar and in fluid communication with an annular channel defined through the collar. Upon application of suction through the smoke evacuating tissue guard, the smoke evacuating tissue guard establishes a fluid path extending from the passageway of the tubular body and into the annular channel of the collar via an annular gap defined between the tubular body and the collar.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A smoke evacuating tissue guard, comprising:
 a tubular body having an outwardly flared proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the tubular body defining a longitudinally-extending passageway; 
 a collar attached to the proximal end portion of the tubular body and defining an annular channel, the collar including:
 an outer annular section; 
 an inner annular section facing the passageway and spaced from the proximal end portion of the tubular body to define a first gap therebetween; and 
 a lip extending radially inward from the inner annular section and spaced from the proximal end portion of the tubular body to define a second gap therebetween; and 
 
 an outlet extending from the collar and defining an inner channel in fluid communication with the annular channel, wherein the first gap is less than a diameter of the annular channel and the second gap, such that the smoke evacuation tissue guard is configured to establish a pressure differential in the first gap upon application of suction through the smoke evacuating tissue guard. 
 
     
     
       2. The smoke evacuating tissue guard according to  claim 1 , wherein the lip extends perpendicular to a longitudinal axis defined by the passageway of the tubular body. 
     
     
       3. The smoke evacuating tissue guard according to  claim 1 , wherein the distal end portion of the tubular body is flared outwardly and includes a plurality of segments that taper in a distal direction, such that adjacent segments of the plurality of segments define a gap therebetween that increases in width in a distal direction. 
     
     
       4. The smoke evacuating tissue guard according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of hooks coupled to the outer annular section of the collar and adapted to connect to a proximal rim of an access device. 
     
     
       5. The smoke evacuating tissue guard according to  claim 1 , wherein the first gap extends circumferentially about the passageway. 
     
     
       6. The smoke evacuating tissue guard according to  claim 5 , wherein the annular channel is in fluid communication with the passageway of the tubular body via the first and second gaps. 
     
     
       7. The smoke evacuating tissue guard according to  claim 1 , wherein the collar, the tubular body, and the outlet are monolithically formed with one another as a single component. 
     
     
       8. A smoke evacuating tissue guard, comprising:
 a tubular body defining a longitudinally-extending passageway and including:
 an outwardly flared proximal end portion; 
 an outwardly flared distal end portion; and 
 an intermediate portion connecting the proximal and distal end portions; 
 
 a ring-shaped collar defining an annular channel and including:
 an outer annular section extending from the proximal end portion of the tubular body; 
 an inner annular section facing the passageway and being spaced from the proximal end portion of the tubular body to define a first annular gap therebetween; and 
 
 an outlet coupled to the collar and defining an inner channel in fluid communication with the annular channel, wherein the smoke evacuating guard is configured to establish a fluid path that extends from the passageway of the tubular body, into the annular channel via the first annular gap, and into the inner channel via the annular channel upon application of suction through the smoke evacuating tissue guard. 
 
     
     
       9. The smoke evacuating tissue guard according to  claim 8 , wherein the collar further includes a lip extending radially inward from the inner annular section. 
     
     
       10. The smoke evacuating tissue guard according to  claim 9 , wherein the lip is spaced from the proximal end portion of the tubular body to define a second annular gap therebetween. 
     
     
       11. The smoke evacuating tissue guard according to  claim 10 , wherein the first annular gap is less than a diameter of the annular channel and the second gap, such that the smoke evacuation tissue guard is configured to establish a pressure differential in the first annular gap upon application of suction through the smoke evacuating tissue guard. 
     
     
       12. The smoke evacuating tissue guard according to  claim 9 , wherein the lip extends perpendicular to a longitudinal axis defined by the passageway of the tubular body. 
     
     
       13. The smoke evacuating tissue guard according to  claim 8 , wherein the distal end portion of the tubular body includes a plurality of segments that taper in a distal direction, such that adjacent segments of the plurality of segments define a gap therebetween that increases in width in a distal direction. 
     
     
       14. The smoke evacuating tissue guard according to  claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of hooks coupled to the outer annular section of the collar and adapted to connect to a proximal rim of an access device. 
     
     
       15. The smoke evacuating tissue guard according to  claim 8 , wherein the first annular gap extends circumferentially about the passageway. 
     
     
       16. The smoke evacuating tissue guard according to  claim 15 , wherein the annular channel is in fluid communication with the passageway of the tubular body via the first and second annular gaps. 
     
     
       17. The smoke evacuating tissue guard according to  claim 8 , wherein the collar, the tubular body, and the outlet are monolithically formed with one another as a single component.